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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29000490">Rewrite the Stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faye_Claudia/pseuds/Faye_Claudia'>Faye_Claudia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Where the Runaways are Running the Night [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Hiccup Runs Away, Angst, F/M, Inspired by The Greatest Showman (2017), Reunions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:13:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,149</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29000490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faye_Claudia/pseuds/Faye_Claudia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"All I want is to fly with you, all I want is to fall with you, so just give me all of you, it feels impossible,<br/>it's not impossible."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cloudjumper &amp; Valka (How to Train Your Dragon), Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III &amp; Valka, Stoick the Vast/Valka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Where the Runaways are Running the Night [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1110813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rewrite the Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Valka was, for lack of a better word, nervous.</p><p> </p><p>Her son’s plan was either genius or hair-brained and she couldn’t decide which. What she did know, was that Hiccup was a lot braver than she was. She also owed him this.</p><p> </p><p>She owed Stoick this too. An explanation, a chance to see the world she’d carved out for herself when the Viking way of life fit her like a poorly made breastplate.</p><p> </p><p>She also longed to see her husband again. Hiccup had told her so much, had explained how his dad had never taken a new wife, how her death had hung over him as a child, causing Stoick to be both over-protective and distant with their son. How Stoik had disowned him. Her heart was shattered into three pieces, and she was slowly pulling them  together. Her son was with her once again, her clever dragon-hearted son. Her dragon, Cloudjumper, her dearest friend, was beneath her as she soared through the sky towards her past. It was only her husband, long-lost but never forgotten, who was missing from her now.</p><p> </p><p>How could he ever forgive her though? For abandoning him, for leaving him alone and scared and raising their son without help?</p><p> </p><p>She resigned herself to always only having two-thirds of a heart. Hiccup and Cloudjumper were enough. She dare not ask the gods for more.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, Berk loomed upwards out of the sea, the sky above it clear for once, without rain or snow, and the stars shone clearly above the rocky island. Below, in the murky waters, Valka could make out the ships waiting for the battle against the queen tomorrow; heavily armed but not nearly armed enough for what they were going to face.</p><p> </p><p>Valka knew that some dragons, like humans themselves, got greedy and selfish. She knew that power corrupted in all creatures, not just humans. And yet, the thought of killing the queen sat ill within her breast. But it meant peace for her son, peace for the dragons, and so, she had agreed to help.</p><p> </p><p>She landed in a cove, one she remembered well, and smiled fondly at the scorched cliffsides. Here, she used to meet Stoick at night under stars like these before they were married, and if Hiccup was to be believed, it was here that her son had first bonded with his dragon. It was only fitting this was where she first set foot on Berk soil again after so long.</p><p> </p><p>A song came to mind, unbidden and bitter-sweet, and she let it’s tune escape through closed lips as she reassured Cloudjumper and made her way out of the cove and into the village on foot.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I only want your hand to hold, I only want you near me,”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Valka’s boots tread heavily, as she wearily made her way into the village. Their hut looked…it looked alien to Valka, who had lived in caves and trees and ice caverns for the last two decades. But it still screamed home. Memories, unbidden and harsh assaulted her from all directions. Warm fires and soft kisses and private dances. It was all so painful now. She had to move forward though.</p><p>She had to do this. For dragon kind.</p><p>For Hiccup.</p><p>For her family.</p><p> </p><p>Stoick awoke to the sound of his front door opening. It was probably Gobber; he did that when he couldn’t sleep, snuck into Stoick’s hut and slept in Hiccup’s old bed.</p><p> </p><p>Stoick couldn’t get rid of Hiccup’s presence in his hut, couldn’t bring himself to throw out his things, just like he hadn’t been ale to forget about Valka. All he’d wanted as a young man, all he’d ever wanted was his family safe and with him. And now, maybe he should join Gobber. They could drink some ale and not talk.</p><p> </p><p>They did that too sometimes. Drank in dark silence. Not acknowledging everything wrong with Berk. With Stoick.</p><p>They never spoke about anything.</p><p>Even when they spoke, there were too many things that went unsaid.</p><p> </p><p>The fourth stair creaked. Stoick shot upwards. Gobber never came upstairs. There was an intruder in his house.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, quietly, Stoick got up and lifted his axe from its resting place beside his bed.</p><p> </p><p>He hid himself from view, and when a tall, willowy figure stepped into his room, he rushed at them with a loud yell, axe held high, and swinging down towards their head.</p><p>The figure dodged, their hands held up, and said his name, over and over. Like a prayer.</p><p> </p><p>He knew that voice. His axe thudded to the floor, his face sheet white.</p><p> </p><p>“A ghost,” His late wife’s spirit, come to him in the dead of night. “Are you here to take me Valka?” He breathed, fear clogging his heart. “Are you here to take me to Helheim? Am I not worthy of Valhalla?”</p><p>Of course he wasn’t. Odin didn’t want broken soldiers who couldn’t raise their own sons.</p><p> </p><p>“No, my love,” Valka’s spirit spoke. “I am not dead. And you will be every bit worthy of Valhalla, one day,” Braver now, she rested her hand against his cheek, above his beard, “Do I feel dead to you?”</p><p> </p><p>She did not. She felt warm and soft, and she was trembling just as much as he was. Her eyes were large, moon-lit, and fearful. She withdrew her hand, and dropped her face to avoid his eyes. “I know you cannot forgive me for what I did, but I-“</p><p>Stoick kissed her. He wrapped his large hands around her arms and drew his wife close. He ignored her gasp, and he pressed his lips against hers, soft, at first. Tender, exploring, making sure she was real and not a dream.</p><p>She pulled away, her hands pressed to his chest, her mouth gaping like a fish. She was hardly ever speechless, his Valka. She took a deep breath and spoke.</p><p>Well, it sounded more like water flowing down a waterfall than actual words, she spoke so fast.</p><p> </p><p>“My love, Valka, I don’t care.” Stoick took her hands in his. “You have returned to me, and I will not question anything anymore. I will –“ he dropped to his knees before her, “I will give everything I have to never lose you again.”</p><p>“Oh Stoick, it’s not that simple.”</p><p>“Who do I have to fight to make it simple?” He implored.</p><p> </p><p>The answer, it turned out, were his own ideologies.</p><p> </p><p>Stoick gaped at the massive, orange, four-winged beast in what he had always considered their secret cove. Valka had made him leave his axe behind, and when he tried to pull Valka behind him, she brushed him away and <em>embraced</em> the dragon.</p><p>Valka watched her husband, her heart filled with dread, as she introduced him to Cloudjumper. Although…perhaps Hiccup had been right to have faith in his father, after all.</p><p>“Hold out your hand, like this,” She instructed, and Stoick listened.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So it's been months...and honestly I've kind of been dreading writing this. Hope I did it justice.<br/>I do like writing Valka though.<br/>Also, 2021 means that this series is almost three years old...oops. Happy New year! Hopefully more to follow soon.<br/>Next up, Hiccup and Astrid; and I don't have to try write angst for that, so yay!<br/>As always, this has not been edited.</p><p>Also; come find me on tumblr: https://tinyfeministpixie.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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